en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/649923 Comments by J Murphy http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Sioux-City-Gets-2-Million-Grant-To-Demolish-Former-Meatpacking-Plant-Site-119838119.html#IDComment142825591 It's a small miracle that facility stayed open as long as it did. Smithfield wanted to close it in the 90's but the city gave them half the vault to keep it open and was prepared this time to give the other half of the vault to move it south of town to a new facility in a city-owned development. And make no mistake about it, if the Missourior Floyd Rivers ever flooded that area again, which wont happen becuase of the upstream dams and other flood control, the city of Sioux City would be at the front of the line trying to get someone to tear it down with FEMA money. Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:50:21 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Sioux-City-Gets-2-Million-Grant-To-Demolish-Former-Meatpacking-Plant-Site-119838119.html#IDComment142825591 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Major-Announcement-For-Downtown-Cedar-Rapids-Set-Today-112313094.html#IDComment117448439 As other areas of Iowa are still having their unemployment rates continue to climb, my old town Sioux City in particular is now the only city in Iowa over 7%, this is great news and hopefully means a net increase for the CR area in addition to the increased workforce downtown. Job well done by all involved. Wed, 22 Dec 2010 16:06:03 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Major-Announcement-For-Downtown-Cedar-Rapids-Set-Today-112313094.html#IDComment117448439 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Giunta-Coming-To-Hiawatha-For-Parade-Tuesday-109269004.html#IDComment110719935 Since knowing that their Grandpa and Great Grandpa were in the military, my kids have always had a tremendous respect for soldiers. When they see a soldier / airman about town with a uniform on, they ask to shake his / her hand. We certainly will be going to the parade on Tuesday to see this young man. Fri, 19 Nov 2010 20:59:45 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Giunta-Coming-To-Hiawatha-For-Parade-Tuesday-109269004.html#IDComment110719935 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Concerns-Over-State-Volleyball-Tournaments-Location-Next-Year-107755113.html#IDComment109616311 US Cell is the perfect size for this tournament and has great sight lines for viewing both courts. Wells Fargo is too big and Tyson in Sioux City has horrible sight lines with its low-angle seating. If there are no construction issues, the IGHSAA should keep it here. Sat, 13 Nov 2010 19:33:51 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Concerns-Over-State-Volleyball-Tournaments-Location-Next-Year-107755113.html#IDComment109616311 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Pomeranz-Promises-to-Convince-Employers-to-Invest-in-Downtown-CR-107474133.html#IDComment109396282 I don't know where other high-level members of the CR government live and don't plan on stalking anyone to find out. That being said, it's a nice change of pace to see someone at a high level actually living in the downtown area and trying to set some sort of example. I also think that the city must continue to push to get its offices back to the area. If I'm a prospective business, I'm thinking, "Why didn't the city find interim space downtown after the flood? Why am I being pushed to locate downtown when the city is still out by Twin Pines?" I didn't live here when the flood happened or immediately after but I do think that a huge opportunity to say "Come back!" was missed by not finding something down there. When the City of Sioux City's offices were being reconstructed in the mid 90's, they relocated everything into a mostly vacant office building downtown. The MCI building that was offered to GoDaddy would seem to be a good fit with the necessary repairs to HVAC and other flood-damaged areas. Could Sioux City have located offices in a suburban office park? Yes. Are the situations different? Yes, but I don't believe it should be going on 2-1/2 years and still have City Hall located in a far corner of the city. Fri, 12 Nov 2010 15:53:46 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Pomeranz-Promises-to-Convince-Employers-to-Invest-in-Downtown-CR-107474133.html#IDComment109396282 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Branstad-Says-Hell-Seek-Resignation-Letters--106711678.html#IDComment107863175 ...So he wants all state agency heads to essentially quit and do it in writing. How much could he possibly glean from an " I resign" letter and then make a clear decision? Or am I missing something? Is he clairvoyant? Are they supposed to say: 'I resign...But here's why I should keep my job' ?' Thu, 4 Nov 2010 21:22:33 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Branstad-Says-Hell-Seek-Resignation-Letters--106711678.html#IDComment107863175 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/09/13/red-out-in-zona#IDComment98736905 How about just wearing a combination of school colors? It was better when just the students coordinated colors, IMO. I also feel it has taken away some of the blaze orange / yellow rain slicker / camo look of the cold weather schools... Tue, 14 Sep 2010 16:26:08 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/09/13/red-out-in-zona#IDComment98736905 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2010/09/10/neighbors-city-officials-face-off-again-over-cemar-trail-segment#IDComment98525450 For sure, the majority of the neighborhood is for the trail since they realize the benefits of having it run through the area. The people who are against it cannot come to grips with why their neighbors would want to be for it thus, "...you are breaking up a small little community." Mon, 13 Sep 2010 13:13:33 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2010/09/10/neighbors-city-officials-face-off-again-over-cemar-trail-segment#IDComment98525450 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2010/09/10/neighbors-city-officials-face-off-again-over-cemar-trail-segment#IDComment98105722 I would love to be closer to a trail. I can't imaging the amount of gasoline and wear & tear on my car that would be saved if I could safely ride my bike instead of being on the street. I've been on several of the trail sections in town and have never come across any maintenance issues. Certainly there are some but I dare say that a paved trail is better than an abandoned and overgrown railroad bed. The naysayers may change their minds but they won't tell anyone. This was in the paper a few weeks ago and was also in the city's newsletter that can be had for free by anyone with a computer. There really isn't any excuse for someone pleading ignorance. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 23:07:38 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/2010/09/10/neighbors-city-officials-face-off-again-over-cemar-trail-segment#IDComment98105722 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2010/09/10/brueggers-to-open-second-cedar-rapids-location-near-lindale#IDComment98082295 First time I had a Panera "bagel", all I could think of was, "that's not a bagel." And it's not. There's no way in h e l l that a Panera bagel has ever been boiled. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 21:07:59 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2010/09/10/brueggers-to-open-second-cedar-rapids-location-near-lindale#IDComment98082295 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/government/2010/09/08/city-sets-informational-meeting-on-cemar-trail-for-concerned-neighbors#IDComment97722532 Right...and the minute that more city staff start accruing overtime for meetings like this, the same citizenry who are upset over this trail will be up in arms. If it's really that important to them, at least one person can attend that or they can have a person attend as their representative whether it be one of the neighbors or someone who has their interest in mind. Thu, 9 Sep 2010 01:53:26 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/government/2010/09/08/city-sets-informational-meeting-on-cemar-trail-for-concerned-neighbors#IDComment97722532 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/09/08/kirk-ferentz-ranks-3rd-in-a-sportswriters-poll-of-best-current-college-football-coach-never-to-have-won-a-national-title#IDComment97682902 How high would Chris Petersen be ranked if Boise played in say, the Pac-10, and averaged eight wins per year? Wed, 8 Sep 2010 21:38:02 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/09/08/kirk-ferentz-ranks-3rd-in-a-sportswriters-poll-of-best-current-college-football-coach-never-to-have-won-a-national-title#IDComment97682902 http://gazetteonline.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/2010/09/08/how-many-accidents-before-stoplight-built#IDComment97660448 Thanks for the link, shotfeel. I knew there was an article of some sort, just didn't have time to search for it at the time. Wed, 8 Sep 2010 18:51:56 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/2010/09/08/how-many-accidents-before-stoplight-built#IDComment97660448 http://gazetteonline.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/2010/09/08/how-many-accidents-before-stoplight-built#IDComment97626955 Wasn't there an article in the paper last week that dealt with this very subject? I can't recall if there were any specific dates in the article but I'm sure it stated that there was a stoplight coming for the Hwy 13 / Mt. Vernon Road intersection. Wed, 8 Sep 2010 15:33:45 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/2010/09/08/how-many-accidents-before-stoplight-built#IDComment97626955 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/09/08/john-feinstein-boise-state-surely-would-have-beaten-iowa-last-year#IDComment97622281 I'm going to burn my copy of 'A Season On The Brink'... Wed, 8 Sep 2010 15:00:42 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/09/08/john-feinstein-boise-state-surely-would-have-beaten-iowa-last-year#IDComment97622281 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/government/2010/09/08/neighbors-not-happy-with-construction-of-new-trail#IDComment97619598 I wish I had a trail that close to my house. It certainly would make short trips more safe for biking rather than riding on the street and it would also save gas plus the wear and tear of in-town driving on my car. It seems like there are a couple uninformed people that want to read their own comments in the paper. I've only lived in town for a year and knew about the trail and that the City wanted to start work on it. I also believe there was article in the paper less than a month ago stating such. Wed, 8 Sep 2010 14:37:47 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/government/2010/09/08/neighbors-not-happy-with-construction-of-new-trail#IDComment97619598 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/09/05/nothing-innocent-when-it-comes-to-iowa-isu#IDComment97294439 They can get sucked into the "go after Clayborn" attitude all they want. Come after one player and it leaves someone else uncovered. If he has a crappy game because he's double and triple teamed and Iowa wins by 30, so be it. I hope it happens. Mon, 6 Sep 2010 14:23:44 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/09/05/nothing-innocent-when-it-comes-to-iowa-isu#IDComment97294439 http://gazetteonline.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/2010/08/28/c-r-%e2%80%99s-ideas-won%e2%80%99t-bring-people-downtown#IDComment95724931 It really is a horrible letter and I hope the Gazette isn't so short on letters that it has to resort to this sort of junk. The last sentence is either a poor attempt at sarcasm or a type-o that is completely contrary to the rest of the letter. Now to your point, Rae. The medical mall will indeed bring people downtown since it's a destination building, as will the Mercy cancer center. Hopefully, there will be other develpment around those buildings that will further add to the downtown business population and the tax base overall. Shopping as a downtown destination is gone so that leaves the medical and employment bases to serve as those destinations. The streets...yes, they are in rough shape. I moved here from Sioux City about a year ago and I thought the streets were bad there. However, I certainly wasn't going to hold off on my move just because the streets are in bad shape. Sat, 28 Aug 2010 21:22:43 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/2010/08/28/c-r-%e2%80%99s-ideas-won%e2%80%99t-bring-people-downtown#IDComment95724931 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/public-safety/2010/08/26/dot-cites-25-overweight-grain-trucks-at-adm#IDComment95558643 When they are checking the weight, are they also checking the fuel in the tanks to see if it's on-road fuel instead of the red-dyed off-road that is used in farm tractors and other off-road implements? If the tractor-trailer is licensed for road use, shouldn't it have taxable fuel in the tanks? Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:09:33 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/public-safety/2010/08/26/dot-cites-25-overweight-grain-trucks-at-adm#IDComment95558643 http://gazetteonline.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/2010/08/24/a-st-luke%e2%80%99smercy-merger-would-be-better#IDComment95021225 I'm with iowareal on this one. Beginning a paragraph with the word 'if' and not supporting your claims with any tangible facts and figures is rather lazy, no? It renders what could have been a very good letter mere gossip and speculation. I also take issue with the 'mediocre' comment directed toward the hospitals. I have been treated for the same issues at U of I and here locally and the level of care and the outcomes weren't any different n Iowa City. Mayo...the staff that I have encountered during my cousin's cancer treatment could not have been more arrogant and condescending to those of us who were there at her side every day. Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:49:14 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/2010/08/24/a-st-luke%e2%80%99smercy-merger-would-be-better#IDComment95021225